For 15 years, Eidolon Films has been driven by a singular passion: telling compelling non-fiction stories that resonate deeply with audiences. Our journey has been one of constant evolution, marked by a relentless pursuit of efficiency, speed, and above all, a distinctive storytelling aesthetic. While we’ve honed our craft in every facet of production, the most significant transformation has been scaling our operation from a hands-on, wear-every-hat model to a sophisticated system where our vision guides every frame, even when we’re thousands of miles away.

From Doing It All to Directing It All

In our early days, the belief was that our unique aesthetic could only be achieved if we personally filmed every scene. We wanted our projects to carry a distinct visual signature, an intimate and authentic feel that we felt only we could deliver. However, a wise business mentor challenged this notion, suggesting that our limitation wasn’t artistic, but operational: we simply hadn’t yet mastered the art of hiring, training, and communicating our vision to a wider pool of talent.

This insight arrived at a crucial juncture. The demands of constant travel meant we were often out of the office, leading to a mounting backlog in the edit suite and an inability to efficiently manage multiple projects. Then, the world changed.

The Pandemic Pivot: A Global Need for Local Talent

The onset of COVID-19 brought an abrupt halt to our traditional way of working. Within days, all our existing contracts were cancelled, and the prospect of future projects involving international travel became impossible. Yet, the need to tell non-fiction stories from around the globe remained. We faced a stark choice: cease operations or innovate. We chose the latter.

This unprecedented challenge became the catalyst for a fundamental shift in our approach. We began to actively seek and collaborate with talented crews in locations like South America, Africa, and Asia, regions where travel restrictions prevented our physical presence. This wasn’t merely about finding local talent; it was about meticulously identifying individuals who could not only operate a camera but also intrinsically understand and deliver on the unique visual and narrative style that defines Eidolon Films.

The Eidolon Lens: What We Look For in a Crew

Finding the right crew is a nuanced process. We’re not searching for crews accustomed to sleek commercial shoots. Our focus is on capturing the raw, authentic essence of non-fiction storytelling. Here’s what sets an Eidolon Films crew apart:

• Intimacy and Authenticity: We seek cinematographers who are comfortable getting close to their subjects, capturing nuanced emotions and interactions. We’re not interested in distant b-roll; we want immersive, personal footage.
• Nimble Storytelling: The ability to capture beautiful interviews on the fly, often in remote and challenging locations, is key. We look for crews who can find the story in everyday life and present it compellingly.
• Technical Versatility with a Storyteller’s Eye: While gimbal and slow-motion capabilities are valued, the ultimate skill is the ability to capture a scene comprehensively. This includes thoughtful wide establishing shots, poignant close-ups, and smooth tracking movements that serve the narrative.
• Collaborative Spirit: Beyond technical prowess, we value crews who are flexible, proactive, and problem-solvers. Red flags for us include individuals who boast about their associations rather than demonstrating their work, or those who present barriers instead of offering creative solutions. We operate on a “yes, and…” principle: “Yes, we can do that, and we’ll need X or Y, or a bit more time.”

Ultimately, the deciding factor often comes down to that initial conversation. There’s an intangible quality – a shared understanding, a passion for the craft – that quickly tells us who we want to collaborate with.

The Blueprint for Success: Our Detailed Call Sheet

Once we’ve identified a promising crew, the real work of communicating the vision begins. Our call sheet is at the center of this process, a meticulously crafted document that ensures every member of the team understands the project’s goals, logistics, and artistic approach. The call sheet is more than just a schedule; it’s a comprehensive guide:

• Essential Contacts: All crew and subject contacts clearly listed at the top.
• Locations: Every filming location is listed for easy reference.
• Detailed Schedule: A thoughtful, hour-by-hour breakdown of activities, carefully accounting for travel, setup, breakdown, and, of course, lunch!
• B-Roll Breakdown: Specific descriptions of desired b-roll, highlighted for special requirements (slo-motion, drone, gimbal, tripod). This allows shooters to systematically capture and cross off each element.
• Filming Specifications: Precise framing guidelines for interviews, often identifying specific rooms or spaces and their optimal setup.
• Translated Interview Questions: A comprehensive list of questions, translated into local languages if needed.

This living document is continuously updated in Google Docs, reflecting new details right up until the shoot day. Prior to filming, we conduct a thorough review, ensuring the crew can ask questions and clarify every detail. We also share the written treatment for the project, allowing them to visualize how their segment will seamlessly integrate into the broader narrative.

The Power of Remote Direction and Lasting Partnerships

Embracing remote direction has dramatically expanded our capacity. We can now manage multiple projects simultaneously, with shoots unfolding across different continents while maintaining robust pre-production and post-production workflows.

Crucially, this model has allowed us to build a growing roster of trusted, talented crews worldwide. We prioritize repeat collaborations, providing constructive feedback after each project, which continuously refines their understanding of the Eidolon Films aesthetic. This iterative process fosters strong, lasting partnerships, transforming our global network into an extension of our core team.

The Unwavering Importance of Being There

While remote direction has revolutionized our business, it hasn’t diminished the importance of being in the field ourselves. Consistently engaging with subjects in their own spaces, understanding the core of their lives remains the fundamental basis of the work we do and why we remain committed to it. Our own field experience sharpens our skills, evolves our narrative approach, and ultimately makes us better directors.

The result? We’re telling more stories than ever before, bringing diverse narratives to audiences worldwide, all while maintaining the unified, intimate, and authentic vision that is true to the work we do.als, saving you time and money while amplifying your authentic message.

Contact us today for a consultation and let’s explore how we can help tell your global stories.

The post How To Craft a Unified Vision In Production Across Continents first appeared on Non-Profit Video Production in Washington DC | Eidolon Films.

At Eidolon Films, we believe in the power of authentic storytelling to connect with audiences on a human level. But what happens when that authentic content can be strategically repurposed to meet a new and pressing marketing need? This is the story of how our ongoing work with the Appraisal Institute on their “What I Value” series led to an innovative and cost-effective solution for a completely new campaign.

The Foundation: Humanizing the Appraisal Profession

The Appraisal Institute, with its global membership of 16,000, embarked on a strategic “appraiser-center redirection.” A key part of this was to humanize the real estate valuation profession. They needed a way to share the genuine stories of their diverse members across the United States, showcasing the real-world impact and expertise of appraisers beyond the technicalities of their reports.

Our solution was the “What I Value” video series. Eidolon Films managed the entire end-to-end production, from pre-production and directing to filming and post-production. We filmed in cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to capture intimate interviews and dynamic “on-the-job” moments with appraisers. Each video was a unique, short, and authentic story that brought the profession to life, directly supporting the Institute’s goal of highlighting its members’ voices and experiences. This series has been a resounding success, offering a rarely seen glimpse into the daily lives of appraisers.

An Unexpected Opportunity

As part of our ongoing relationship with the Appraisal Institute, we also manage their podcast, “Face Value.” During a recording session, the Communications Director mentioned a new initiative. The Institute was looking to develop a program to promote the services of its SRA-designated members to a very specific audience: mid-to-small sized banks, credit unions, attorneys, and estate planners. The plan was to use geo-targeted commercials to reach these groups.

This immediately sparked an idea. We had a wealth of high-quality, authentic footage of SRA-designated appraisers from the “What I Value” series. These weren’t actors; they were real professionals, passionate about their work.

The Pitch: Repurposing with a Purpose

We proposed a new project: leveraging the existing footage to create two sets of 10, 30, and 60-second commercials. One set would be tailored to bankers, and the other to attorneys. By pairing the visuals of real SRA-designated appraisers in the field with a carefully scripted voice-over, we could create powerful, targeted marketing assets that demonstrated the value of the SRA designation.

The Result: A Win-Win-Win

The Appraisal Institute embraced the idea. The result was a series of polished, professional commercials with an authentic message, delivered at a fraction of the cost and time of a traditional production. Because we used existing footage, we eliminated the need for a multi-city, multi-scene shoot, saving significant time and resources.

This project is a prime example of how to maximize the value of your content. By thinking creatively, we were able to:

• Save Time and Money: The primary footage was already captured, drastically reducing production time and cost.
• Maintain Authenticity: Using real SRA-designated appraisers resonated more powerfully than using actors.
• Deliver a Targeted Message: The commercials were specifically crafted to speak to the needs of bankers and attorneys.
• Amplify the Message: The “What I Value” series was given a new life and a new audience, extending its reach and impact.

This case study demonstrates the power of a strong client-partner relationship and the benefits of thinking strategically about content. What was initially created to humanize a profession became a powerful tool for targeted marketing, proving that great content, like a great appraisal, holds its value.

Unlock the Hidden Potential in Your Content

Does your organization have a library of video interviews, event coverage, or project footage? You could be sitting on a goldmine of assets ready to be transformed into powerful marketing tools for a new campaign or audience.

Let us help you discover the untapped potential in your existing content. We specialize in finding creative ways to repurpose video to meet your strategic goals, saving you time and money while amplifying your authentic message.

Contact us today for a consultation and let’s explore how we can maximize the value of your video assets.

The post Maximizing Impact: How We Repurposed Authentic Stories into Targeted Commercials for The Appraisal Institute first appeared on Non-Profit Video Production in Washington DC | Eidolon Films.

The spark grew from our work re-envisioning an existing audio-only podcast for the Appraisal Institute, called Face Value. The organization brought us on to refresh the podcast, improve production value and to amplify the storytelling. Additionally we were tasked with bringing to life a video version of the podcast. We were lucky to have engaging, committed hosts, two members of the Appraisal community who represented the commercial and residential sides of the industry. They came with exciting ideas for new topics and connections in the industry. Here’s how we approached the next season, step by step, along with some things we learned along the way:

Step 1: Determine Goals

We started by sending a google doc questionnaire to the podcast hosts, the client and stakeholders to ask what they felt was working well and what could be improved upon, along with our own expertise on what could be enhanced. What emerged was a desire for a broader selection of topics to engage not only appraisers, but the wider real estate industry. Hosts wanted a tighter edit on the episodes, from 45 minutes to closer to 20-30 minutes, and more pre-production and scripting to guide the episodes. We advised creating fresh new branding to tie the series together, and amping up the production value with higher-quality lighting, camera and sound. 

Step 2: Create the Brand

The hosts were happy to keep the name Face Value; it was familiar to their established listeners. Yet the reboot called for a new logo. So we developed one tied to the organization’s color and font but capable of standing on its own as a brand for informative, engaging content. From that logo, we developed a 5 second animated logo build and a 10 second opener, which could be used throughout the deliverables: eg. spotify thumbnails, instagram teasers and the youtube version. We also selected a short musical jingle paired with the graphics to cue listeners to enter the heart of the content as well as exit. 

Step 3: Establish Production Values

The first way to improve production value for a video podcast is to improve the quality of recording. So we shipped our subjects three key pieces of equipment: a high-quality webcam, an LED light, a high-quality desktop microphone and headphones. But we also spent several calls working with the hosts to identify a location in their home or office, adjust the lighting and microphone placement and work through the technical issues that inevitably arise. So equipment alone will not improve the quality. We needed to work with our hosts to set it up and help them to be comfortable turning everything on and adjusting the lighting and sound during each recording session. Ideally, we would be able to set this equipment up for them in person, but given that they live in different parts of the country, we decided to do it remotely. Production values for the guests is probably the trickiest part, because we cannot ship equipment to each new guest. But we ask them to use a microphone or headset with a microphone and position themselves in front of a ring-light or natural window light. 

Step 4: Develop a Pre-Production Workflow

The Face Value hosts are full of ideas for episodes, and we have developed a workflow in which we track episodes that are scheduled, in-progress and completed on a google doc spreadsheet. Our Eidolon team handles all the scheduling with the guests, ensures all parties are prepared in advance of the recording call, and writes the draft script. This includes an engaging scripted intro that includes personal anecdotes from the hosts, an introduction of the guests and a broad list of questions. Beyond that, our hosts improvise and the conversation flows naturally. 

Step 5: Trouble-shoot the Recording

We utilize a platform called Boomcaster to conduct the recording calls. Unlike a video call platform like Zoom, Boomcaster records the content from the subjects’ own computers and uploads to the cloud, resulting in a superior quality recording. Even so, it can be limited by each subjects’ own computer, camera, lighting and microphone quality. While we’ve controlled these elements for our hosts, we cannot control them for each guest, so we do our best by providing some guidance in advance of the call and being on the call to trouble-shoot any issues that inevitably arise. Initially, we thought we would only need to be on the recording calls for the first few episodes to ensure everything is running smoothly. But we discovered that small issues arise during each call that we need to trouble-shoot for, so we know we need a seasoned technician on the call each time to ensure the hosts can focus on the content of the show and not technical challenges. 

Step 6: Devise a Compelling Structure 

Following the recording, we have nearly an hour of content that needs to be cut down. To streamline the editing process, we established a reliable and compelling structure each episode would follow. First, we select a segment of discussion that is dynamic, introduces the topic and adds something interesting and new. This segment has a tighter edit with more back and forth than the remainder of the episode, but tees us off in a brisk minute or less. Next, we run the Face Value branded opener before jumping into the hosts’ scripted intro. This ‘take’ can take a couple of tries, so we often select and edit the best pieces. Following the guests’ introduction, we let the remainder of the discussion unfold naturally, editing for interruptions, repetition, and any long-winded segments that veer the discussion off-course. We then add stock images and graphics as appropriate.

Step 7: Package Deliverables

For each episode, we deliver the client a folder containing everything needed to disseminate the episode effectively. This includes an mp4 file for YouTube, mp3 file for Spotify, a social media short teaser, a press release, a document with the youtube chapter timecodes, and a thumbnail graphic image for youtube. With these files, an organization’s communications team can disseminate on their channels on a regular and consistent basis. 

Organizational Outcome & Benefits of a Video Podcast:

In just a couple of months of the relaunch, there’s been more engagement with the podcast and a very positive reception from membership. Following the organization’s Board of Directors’ meetings, the podcast was listed among the top priorities members wanted to see continued going forward, and the hosts are regularly receiving email questions for future episode topics. Some of the benefits of a video podcast include:

1. Regular engagement with membership: By having a predictable timeline for content release (2x a month), there are more opportunities to engage with membership. And by inviting membership as guests, they have the opportunity to connect and share their expertise within the industry.
2. Thought Leadership: By regularly engaging on topics of importance to the industry, a podcast helps to position an organization as a thought leader.
3. Repurposed Content: In creating these episodes, there’s a lot of content that is relatively easily produced and can be repurposed in any number of ways. Segments of discussion can be cut down for social media bites or used in discussions, roundtables and board meetings. 

Complement to Creative Content: The podcast can be just one of many components in an organization’s content creation. It can exist and function to complement more creative, cinematic profiles of members, webinars among thought-leaders and issue-based animations to create a kaleidoscope of ways to engage.

The post Enhancing Engagement Through Video Podcasts first appeared on Non-Profit Video Production in Washington DC | Eidolon Films.

1. Automatic Transcription and Translation

This is the easiest and currently most effective use of AI in video production. Not even 5-6 years ago, we relied on a few human transcribers to transcribe all of our video interviews. They were quite good, but scheduling them and turnaround time were sometimes issues, and the cost was a little high. Then along came Rev, and we switched to their service, which provided on-demand transcription services for a fraction of the cost and with much quicker turn-around times. Rev did introduce an AI transcription option a few years ago as well, for a very reduced cost. But the big game changer in this field was when Adobe included AI transcription into Premiere Pro. I won’t go into the detail of how to use it, but basically it will transcribe any sequence (in a variety of languages), and create a very accurate transcript that syncs perfectly to your sequence, so that you can instantly click on any word and the playhead will go directly to that point in the video. This has three huge advantages over any other transcription option. One is speed – it takes mere minutes to transcribe sequences. Longer sequences (30 min +) may take a bit longer, but it’s miles ahead of waiting 4-12 hours for human transcription. Second – syncing with the video is a huge time saver. Previously we’d need to toggle back and forth between a transcription document and Premiere in order to edit, and occasionally scrub through the video a little to get to the right spot (human created transcription isn’t 100% perfect with time-code sync). Now everything is done within Premiere, and you can easily read the transcript directly inside the app and quickly start editing. This doesn’t work as well if you have multiple interviews you need to cut together, because you’d likely want to craft those into a script first. But it’s obvious that’s an easy future option that I’m sure Adobe will integrate at some point. Third – having multiple languages is a huge time saver. Previously, we’d need to search for foreign language transcribers that didn’t cost an arm and a leg ($300-500+ for an hour of audio), and would often be disappointed with the results, especially with the time-code sync. Now we can quickly get time-code accurate transcripts in 15 languages (and growing), use them immediately, or get them translated into English much more cheaply and quickly. Hopefully Adobe will add an auto translate feature soon as well, but there’s a host of existing AI services that will also do that (Google or ask ChatGPT

2. Video Editing & Processing

Sensei is Adobe’s AI platform that integrates into its creative suite. You can check out all the cool features (with more coming every update), but here’s a few key ones:

Color Match – this still feels like it has a good amount of improvement to make, but it is quite useful as a starting point. We film lots of interviews that have 2 or more camera angles, and as best as we try to match cameras in production, there’s always some color correction required to match them in post. By using Color Match, you can leverage the power of AI to get two shots closely matched. Most of the time I’d say that Color Match gets 80% of the way there, but that remaining 20% can make a huge difference. It’s that last little bit of color wheel or HSL tweaks that really help get two shots from different cameras matching correctly. But hey, 80% sure can save a ton of time when you need to match lots of shots.

Morph Cut – we haven’t used this feature too often, but it can help in a pinch when you need to cut a single camera video interview, and have nothing to cover the edit with. If the person isn’t moving too much between the cuts, Morph Cut works pretty well to hide the edit. I find it also helps to make the Morph Cut only a few frames long (3-4). However, many times I find that the Morph Cut is obvious, and in some cases a straight cut actually works better, or even just punching in 20% for a fake close-up angle seems less obtrusive. Hopefully this is one that will improve with time.

Content-aware Fill – we’ve only used this feature in Photoshop (with mixed success), but After Effects offers it for video. It seems quite extensive and tricky to use, but definitely worth exploring if you need to remove something from your video – logos, products, etc.

3. Features to Come

Adobe has unveiled an exhilarating glimpse into its AI-powered universe through Firefly. Promising a suit of generative AI models such as generating custom vectors and textures to full-on color correction, Firefly does have the potential to make creating video content much quicker and efficient. All of these features look great in theory, but we’ll wait and see how they pan out. In general Adobe Premiere has been plagued with lots of bugs and issues over the years, so introducing a new suite of AI enabled features seems ripe for more failure points. However, the current updates to Adobe alongside its existing AI tools has made our job a little easier in recent months. Fields like motion design and animation seem poised to be most affected by Firefly, for better or worse – as AI makes it much easier for users to quickly conjure original designs, graphics and animations without much effort. The key is to find ways to leverage AI to help improve your workflow, expand your creativity and ultimately create better content.

The post Leveraging AI in Non-Fiction Video Production: The Future? first appeared on Non-Profit Video Production in Washington DC | Eidolon Films.

Remote Filming Kits

We recognized early on in the pandemic that the quality of remotely recorded interview footage would be better if we asked subjects to record using their smartphone camera while we simultaneously interviewed them on zoom using their computer. But we realized that efforts to use window light, prop the camera eye-level using books and relying on the smartphone’s internal microphone were insufficient. So we developed remote filming kits that we ship to subjects, including a simple ring-light/tripod/phone holder and smartphone microphone. We also developed the strategies below:

1. Provide SIMPLE instructions: In our early remote filming efforts, we sent subjects detailed written instructions with diagrams on how to light the interview, improve the settings on their camera, identify a good location. We quickly realized that few people were reading the instructions and if they were, they didn’t totally absorb them. As a result, we were eating up much of the already padded interview time to trouble-shoot lots of issues. So we developed a 90 second video explainer focused on settings and set-up using the kit and how they will need two devices (a computer for zoom and a smartphone for recording). The subjects can watch by using a QR code on the box or through a video link that we send them, and the visual format of video helped to convey the instructions more effectively. We decided to reserve the location selection and lighting tweaks for the zoom sessions as we could best direct those nuances over a video call.
2. Use Video Chat for Location Scouting and Framing: We quickly realized that the subjects were not very good judges of what looks good for an interview, despite our written instructions. So we dedicate time in the very beginning of the zoom session to direct the subject on where to place the tripod, how to adjust the lighting, and frame the camera. It works best if we use video chat via Facetime or Whatsapp on our phones so we can see exactly what their phone cameras will be recording and can make adjustments. After we set “the look”, we hang up the video call so they can use the phone to record (you can’t do both simultaneously on the same device) and then use their nearby computer to conduct the interview over zoom.
3. Consider Additional Shots & Provide Example Footage: We recently worked with a client looking to document a virtual fellowship training. In addition to using interviews and recorded zoom sessions, we asked the participants to use the filming kit to film themselves engaging in the virtual activities. We selected a few shots that we thought would be helpful (opening a laptop, an over-the-shoulder shot, a wide-angle) that provided additional footage to cut together. We are now working on a piece that may incorporate “slofies” or slo-motion selfies, accomplished easily on the iphone 11 and with a little more creativity with other smartphone models.
4. Create a dropbox link: We send subjects a dropbox link that they can open directly on their phone and upload the files directly from their photo library so little to no tech knowledge is needed.
5. Include a return label: We include a return label inside the remote filming kit package, so that subjects can easily ship them back to us in the same box.

In-Person Filming With Safeguards

While remote filming kits are a great option for producing multiple video interviews in varying locations safely, there are limitations even with the additional production value added by the equipment. So we are offering an in-person filming package and crew, but with the following safeguards that prevent people from sharing an indoor space for a prolonged time while speaking, with the subject not wearing a mask. Here are the ways we pull it off:

1. Crew Wears N95 masks: We use N95 masks when filming in-person indoors. In our everyday lives, we wear cloth masks. But the N95s provide a much higher level of safety for the crew and subjects, both during setup when the subject is usually in another room, and during the interview when they aren’t wearing a mask.
2. Keep Distant & Ventilate: The best ways to keep our crew distant from our subjects is to have them set-up the camera and lights while the subject is waiting in another room. Then when the set-up is ready and the subject arrives, the crew departs the room to monitor the camera remotely. There is some limited cross-over and in-person communication for which distance and masks work well. An extra precaution is to ventilate the space by cracking open a window, whenever possible.
3. Monitor the Interview Wirelessly from Another Room: Using a wireless monitor, our crew is able to monitor the image and sound from the camera without being in the same room as the interview subject while they are speaking. Depending on the location, the crew can easily be 20-30ft away or more.
4. Conduct the interview remotely: By placing a smartphone or ipad below the camera lens, we are able to have our producer conduct the interview remotely, and even have clients listen in and add questions. Each are asked to mute themselves while the subject answers questions so the sound isn’t picked up on the microphone.

The post Two Key Solutions for Capturing Professional Video During COVID first appeared on Non-Profit Video Production in Washington DC | Eidolon Films.

1. Revisit Goals and Audience

Often a failed video comes as a result of unclear goals and audience. Without clearly defined goals and audience, it’s easy for the video to lose its way – it’s confusing, long-winded, lacking emotion and overstuffed with information. Revisit the client’s original goals and audience and ensure that those remain when beginning to tackle the project. Sometimes the client changes their goals and audience a result of what was learned during the first attempt at creating a video. That’s OK, and in fact useful. But be sure to get all stakeholders on the same page.

2. Review the Old Video and Original Assets

Review the old video (if there is one) to find anything that may be working. Sometimes there’s parts of the original video that can be reused or re-purposed, saving time on sifting through many hours of original assets. Discuss with the client what they liked and disliked about the first video to inform your perspective as you dive into the original materials. Make sure to pick their brain on what interviews, scenes or visuals they feel offer the most potential in the original material so you know where to focus your efforts. Lastly, make sure to get any interviews transcribed that haven’t been already. It’s surprising how often this isn’t done the first time around.

3. Write a New Treatment That Simplifies and Uses Emotion

After your review, write a new treatment or script for the video. This will allow you to put on paper how you see the video unfolding, and gives the client something they can share with stakeholders for feedback and approval. It’s especially critical with this type of project that you iron out all issues at this stage and get full approval before moving forward. Aim to simplify and clarify the story, honing in on limited key information and keeping a strong emotional core. Often we’ve found that the failed video attempt included too much information, text and and interviews, and simply stripping things down is a huge first step in improvement.

4. Edit with an Open Mind

Once you start editing, keep an open mind that pieces from the original video may be useful (same as tip #2). It’s entirely possible that the previous edit did incorporate some of the best soundbites, visuals and moments, but were edited in a less than compelling way. Your new edit may cause the client to see the entire idea in a new light, and they may even ask for some sections from the old video to be included again. It may seem counterproductive, but your job is to take these conflicting ideas and bring them together in a cohesive and engaging manner.

5. Consider Adding Motion Graphics or Voice Over

Don’t be afraid of adding new motion graphics or voice over that wasn’t in the original concept for the video. Sometimes, due to failures in production, essential content simply was not captured. You can make up for that by creating and capturing new content – some simple motion graphics to complement what’s missing, or even introduce an engaging voice over to cover for a lack of quality interview content. Even if that’s not what the client originally envisioned, if it fixes issues and allows the entire project to be saved, they are very likely to see it’s value.

The post How to Salvage a Failed Video Project first appeared on Non-Profit Video Production in Washington DC | Eidolon Films.

We’ve been thinking a lot lately about creativity, specifically taking creative risks.  As we get older, we become more fearful of taking creative risks while at the same time having more confidence in our creative ability.  It’s a strange mindset, but one we’re willing to bet is faced daily by creative professionals.  The main barrier to creativity stems from fear coupled with a lack of understanding of the creative process.  We frequently hear people say, “I’m not a creative person,” a sad statement indeed.  We all have creativity inside us, it’s just a matter of flexing that muscle. Here’s seven ways to do that:

1.) Let Go of Fear

Fear is the arch enemy of creativity. If you are fearful from the get go then you are stifling your creative potential.  You must find away to ignore or embrace the feeling of fear, especially fear of failure. That means accepting that failure is likely, and recognizing it as a useful outcome rather than a dreaded one. Failure is not just inevitable, it’s necessary. It informs our work and makes us better. It builds our resiliency. Once you acknowledge that failure is a part of the creative process, it’s easier to stop fearing it. Sometimes it helps to be alone when you are creating (so that you won’t worry about being judged by others), but many times it simply means not judging yourself. You are not alone in these feelings.

2.) Creativity Comes First

Try to be creative first thing in the morning, even before you open your email box or check the news.  Those are merely distractions that block the creative process. We usually have our best ideas first thing in the morning before the doldrum of daily life causes distraction.  Even setting aside one hour for creative endeavors each morning can reap dividends. In order to be successful, you must invest time into your creative exploration. Attempting to squeeze creative processes in-between other tasks, or leaving it until you’re already tired from the day, will usually lead to creative exhaustion.

3.) Change Your Workflow

Creativity can be thought of as a workflow.  It’s a process of brainstorming, inspiration, writing/drawing ideas, adjusting, rehashing, producing and then revising.  If you change your workflow, then you may be able to kickstart your creativity.  This follows from #2, but takes it further. Use a notepad instead of a computer to write. Draw on your iPad instead of on paper.  Walk around the park to think up ideas instead of sitting at a table. Spend lots of time in nature.  Changing the tools used and setting where the creativity takes place can lead to new creative avenues.

4.) Take a Break

Once you get creatively stuck, it’s often better to stop and come back to it later or the next day.  We often find that creativity can’t be forced.  If it ain’t happening, it ain’t happening.  But when we leave it alone and come back some time later, we are often hit with new inspiration or ideas that seemingly come out of nowhere.  It’s pretty amazing actually, and you don’t even have to do much.  In fact, it’s better if you actively try to not think about what you were working on.  Let the subconscious do its thing.  Oh, and don’t forget to sleep.

5.) Wade Through the Mud

If you want to be more creative, then you have to learn to love junk.  Well, maybe not love it, but just learn to live with it.  Most of your first ideas will be bad.  But you have to get through the bad to reach the good.  It doesn’t mean that all the work is for nought.  It’s an essential step before getting to something great.  You may take bits and pieces from the bad and use them later in your better, more refined idea. But you’ll never know unless you wade through the that mud first.

6.) Be Present

Whenever we’ve drifted away from our most creative selves, it’s often because we’ve been thinking about the end product; this dreamy result that everyone around us applauds and celebrates. Sometimes I can’t even see the form, but I envision the feeling. Yet we are our most creative selves when we’re present in the process; when we are deep in discussion about how to solve a problem, when a compelling character emerges, or we recognize a scene that says and emotes everything we were hoping it would. We’re on our way to something good, but we’re not quite there yet. Being present in that moment allows us to concentrate on the work, not the end result.

7.) Allow Others To Inspire

Engaging in creative community allows you to see how others work, how they succeed and fail. It makes you feel less alone in the harder parts of creative work. And seeing how others rise and fall enables you to better believe in the ups and downs of the process yourself. I think of 20th century artists who congregated amongst themselves, not as competitors but as co-conspirators in the process of creatively reflecting on the times. The best inspiration comes from being with people as they work, but it also comes from observing the product. Watch films, go to museums, read books, understand and learn about the process of others. It will inspire you.

The post Seven Ways to Boost Your Creativity first appeared on Non-Profit Video Production in Washington DC | Eidolon Films.

1. Define Your Goal and Audience

The first step in the budgeting process is to clearly identify your goals and audience. Will you be targeting a handful of big donors, a large group at an event, a wider internet or social media audience? Is your goal to raise funds, get views, raise awareness, or a specific advocacy action? Once you’ve solidified both then you can move on to the budgeting specifics. This is the foundation.

2. Decide: What Type of Video Are you Making?

Budgets are largely driven by the type of video that is made and the complexity involved in making. Is it interview based, filming at an event, tracking people over days or weeks? An animation? Generally an interview based video will cost less, as it’s much easier to schedule and shoot sit-down interviews than to capture people over time. Animation can be the costliest on per minute basis. We recently wrote on the blog about 5 types of video every organization needs and why. Clearly defining goals and audience in step 1 will help guide you to answering what type of video you need.

3. Understand Production Phases and Day-Rates

There’s generally three phases for video creation: pre-production, production and post-production. Each one has its own unique features and costs. One thing that’s generally common though is the day-rate. Rather than bill by the hour, most video producers use day-rates, which account for a certain amount of hours in a day (usually 8 or 10) and include all costs for that day. The pre-production stage involves production planning, location scouting, concept meetings and scripting. The production stage involves shoot days with one or more crew members plus all equipment. And for post-production that means editing in a video editing suite, sound mixing and color correction. The day-rate for each phase will vary between companies, but can range anywhere from $1-2,000 a day for pre-production, $1-2,000 a day for a small crew up to $5-10,000 a day for larger crew (director, director of photography, sound mixer, gaffer, makeup artist, etc.). Post-production can also range anywhere from $1-2,500 a day (and sometimes hourly) depending on your needs. You generally want to allow for more pre-production and production days the more complex your project is. So for a simple short interview-based video that may mean only one pre-production day to identify and schedule subjects, write a list of questions and plan logistics, one production day to capture the interviews and two post-production days to edit the interviews and do basic sound-mixing and color correction. While complexity drives the number of days for each stage, there are efforts you can make in the pre-production stage to consolidate content gathering into fewer production days to limit cost.

4. Consider Finishing Costs

After the video is edited and “picture-locked”, the next stage is finishing. Specifically, this refers to sound mixing, sound design and color correction. Many production companies, ours included, will do a basic version of finishing in-house and incorporate that into the editing rate. Or, if the budget and timeline allow, we’ll send the file to a professional post-house with sound designers and colorists who are the most skilled and creative at this work and have specialized tools to do it. Sound-mixing is as much about correcting audio issues as it is about balancing the various sounds in a piece: the voice, the ambient sound and the music, so that the audience can hear all elements clearly and in dynamic ways that enhance the story. Sound design is the process of adding sounds to a mix that weren’t endemic to the scene, and is particularly important in animation as the world is being created from scratch. Color-correction is another key part of finishing. On a simple level, it’s used to fix image issues like exposure and color balance or match the look of different cameras (if you are using more than one on a single shot). We often shoot in SLOG on our FS7, which lets the camera capture a wider dynamic range and allows for more creativity during color-correction, but can increase time and cost. Consider the degree to which you want to invest in finishing cost as you develop your budget.

5. Distribution

Now that you’ve created your video, consider the costs involved in distribution, either through social media ads, broadcast advertisement or PR placement. These costs fall outside the scope of the video product, but should be considered as part of an organization’s larger marketing and comms budget. Distribution decisions should be guided by your goals and audience from step 1, so at this stage it should be more focused on strategy and execution.

The post How to Budget for Video first appeared on Non-Profit Video Production in Washington DC | Eidolon Films.

The Identity Video

The identity video most closely aligns with what organizations tend to seek in a single video: it communicates who they are and what they do, but in a streamlined way. The storyline for an identity video might be: “we saw x problem, we found x solution, we are doing it x way, so that we can achieve x vision.” The form of an identity video is flexible. The “voice” can be VO, a series of text screens or interview content, and the imagery can be footage/b-roll, archival, scenes and interviews, motion graphics and animation, or a combination. Identity videos can be effectively and efficiently created after the development of other video content, as you can utilize snippets of interview, scenes and footage from various stories to show a snapshot of an organization. In this identity video we produced for Malteser International, we compiled footage from dozens of video projects produced over the years (by various vendors) and stitched them together with a compelling and simple narrative to demonstrate who Malteser serves, why, how and where. Identity videos can have emotional resonance but they don’t go into tremendous detail and depth. Their purpose is to quickly communicate what an organization does by focusing storytelling efforts on clarity, brevity, and visual punch.

The Impact Video

The impact video focuses on the people whose lives have been changed for the better by an organization. This type of video takes the form of a mini documentary both in style and narrative approach. We learn about someone as they go about their life and observe those moments cinematically. We get to know who this person is and what makes them tick so that we can connect to them and engage in their journey, often from sorrow and hardship to success and redemption. When producing impact videos, we start by working with an organization to cast an individual or family whose lives have been impacted by the work they do and seek opportunities to film this individual as they rebuild their lives. Often that impact only reflects one aspect of the work that an organization does. This is the main limitation of this type of video, which worries many organizations who want their videos to demonstrate a scope of services. Yet what impact videos offer, in spite of the limitations, are focus, depth and opportunity for emotional connection, often making them the most successful type of video an organization can produce. Their limitations makes the case for a suite of different video deliverables even more compelling. In this impact video , we focused on Ronnie, whose life was significantly impacted by Franciscan Charities.

The Testimonial

The testimonial can be a dry exercise (read: boring talking head), or one that’s exciting and elevating when executed creatively. This is an opportunity for key stakeholders, customers, clients and partners to simply share in their own words how they feel about an idea or problem; you are sitting them down and letting them talk frankly to the camera. The video testimonial can feature a single person or cut between multiple people. It can incorporate footage of the subject along with motion graphics. It can utilize different production approaches: direct to camera, conversational, interview-style, multi-cam. It’s the voice, and the story that matters. Much of the exercise here is selecting good speakers (animated, open, engaging and articulate), asking the right questions, and editing in a way that makes their stories compelling and concise.

The Commercial

The commercial is even shorter in form, typically 15-30 seconds, and functions to convey a feeling or make a direct ask. It’s often carefully scripted, tightly edited, with high production values. The goal of the commercial is to impart a feeling about the organization’s brand, enough to entice people to learn more. It’s an effective video tool for organizations to reach new people, via broadcast, social media or as the first thing they see on the website. The backbone of a commercial is emotion and instant visual indulgence – either in the faces of people, or the action of a place. Here’s one that’s purely visual, centered on shared “moments” to convey a feeling for alumni about their beloved University and here’s one broadcast commercial we produced that focuses on the diversity of people making a direct ask: VOTE!

The Explainer Video

The explainer video does just what its title suggests: it explains an idea or concept. Organizations use explainers to help communicate a complex problem they are seeking to solve. They are chock full of data and information but presented in clear, concise and compelling ways. Though short in form, explainer videos allow you to dive deeper into a problem than you would in the identity video because you are narrowing your focus to one problem area your organization is seeking to solve. Are you solving many different problems? Multiple short explainer videos can be peppered throughout an organization’s website, used in events and in social media to allow audiences and donors to clearly understand the premise of each problem. Oftentimes, animation is an effective medium for explainers because it can be used to quickly illustrate ideas and visualize statistics. Whatever the visual medium used, the explainer video should focus on clearly identifying the problem, why it exists, a few compelling examples, and how your organization is working to solve it. When producing an explainer video, the first step is to understand the problem, idea or concept. Second, select compelling stories or data points that illustrate that problem best. Third, find a logical flow that carries the viewer from one idea to the next, and finally to find the humanity in the problem even when it’s technical. In this explainer we produced in collaboration with animator Joe Ski, we tried to explain the complex problem of dose per container decision-making. We selected a key example to illustrate the problem, wrote a logical narrative flow aided by compelling visuals, and reminded the audience of the human component to this technical effort.

The post 5 Types of Video Every Organization Needs first appeared on Non-Profit Video Production in Washington DC | Eidolon Films.

Music for All Budget Levels

First decide which music library is going to fit your budget. There are two options: licensed and royalty-free. Licensed means purchasing a license to use a specific track in a specific video, and that track cannot be used in any other way. Royalty-free means purchasing the track once, but using it however you want going forward (aside from re-licensing it). The options for music libraries range from free to very expensive. The free options are usually more limited and lower quality than the paid ones, but value can still be found. While we haven’t personally used the no-budget options, we can vouch for all the other options. Here’s some music libraries to fit each budget level:

No-Budget

Free Music Archive

Free Play Music

Audio Jungle – Not technically free, but has very low cost per-track options ($5-$15).

Pond5 – $15 and up to $89 per track.

Low-Budget

Soundstripe – This library is our personal favorite for low-budget, but honestly most budgets. With the monthly subscription option at $15 or annual subscription at $135, it’s a no-brainer. Soundstripe has a great user interface, options for music of different genres and easy licensing. They also update with new tracks very frequently, so after finding some great music for one video, there’s usually some new music a month later for a new project. Their music is broken down into thematic playlists such as weddings, corporate, acoustic, etc. and can be searched with a variety of filters.

Music Bed – we’ve used the Music Bed in the past and really liked their options. With a simple, easy to use interface and costing $9-$89 per month depending on your usage it’s another great option for those with a low budget.

Mid to High-Budget

Universal Production Music (Formerly Killer Tracks) – we used to license most of our music from here when it was still called Killer Tracks and before the advent of the cheaper subscription based options like Soundstripe and Music Bed. The tracks available here are very high quality, but come with a price. Depending on usage, licensing a track costs a few hundred dollars, or up to $1,000 for a blanket license (unlimited use of tracks in one video). They have a standard rate card, but we’ve found that you can negotiate down depending on your budget, especially with blanket licenses. This is the type of library that commercial producers will also be using, so you can find tracks you’ve heard on TV, or the opposite – hear a track used in your video on TV. Music is broken down by “label” as well as by genre.

Warner Chappell Production Music – we’ve used this library a few times in the past when we couldn’t find tracks we liked at Killer Tracks. It has a very similar feel and layout to Universal’s music library. Cost and licensing structure is also similar, ranging from a few hundred up to $1,000 depending on number of tracks, length of your video, and usage.

Extreme Music – As its name implies, this music library leans more extreme. We’ve used it in the past when we wanted something with an edgier sound. They have a pretty wide variety of music, but it does lean towards the rock, grunge, alternative, urban, electronic side. Cost is in a similar range to Universal and Warner.

How to Search a Music Library Efficiently

What good is a vast music library if you can’t find the tracks you want? Wasting hours searching for music can be fatiguing, with every track starting to blend together and sound the same. To avoid that, and perhaps carpal tunnel syndrome from endless scrolling, we’ve developed the following tips for searching music libraries:

1.) Keep it Under 30 Minutes – Don’t search music for more than 30 minutes at one time. After that your ears get tired, your brain slows down and every track starts to sound annoying. Dedicate a 30 minute block of time for searching music, and ignore everything else (email, co-workers, hunger).

2.) Have a Plan – Begin your search with a plan. Are you going to start with newly added tracks, go to a specific playlist, or an artist you’ve liked before? Find a good starting point and explore from there. Usually you’ll go on some tangents, but if you have a plan, you’ll keep coming back to that when you need to re-focus. I’ve found that once I like a specific track, searching other tracks from that sameartist is an easy way to find more tracks you’ll like. And as a bonus it can help your entire soundtrack feel a little more bespoke if all tracks come from the same artist.

3.) Use Filters – All libraries have options for filtering your music search. Start filtering by vocal or instrumental. We almost never use a track that has vocals, so filtering only instrumental music immediately saves us time up front not having to sift through tracks with vocals. But you can go even more granular, picking a mood (somber, uplifting, inspirational), tempo, and even specific instruments. Usually you have some idea of what kinds of music or feel you’re looking for, so use the filters to help hone your search and make it more efficient.

4.) Go with your Gut/First Impression – Rarely have I nixed a track upon first listen and come back to it later and liked it. Usually within the first few seconds I know if a track is right or not. Stay with that gut feeling and don’t second-guess yourself too much. It will only lead to quicker ear fatigue and failure. Same goes for tracks you do like right away. Add them to your playlist or download them immediately to save time having to go back and find them again. Don’t forget to skip through to other parts of the track to see how it builds or changes. Sometimes the opening is intriguing, but the track changes halfway through and doesn’t work as well.

5.) Explore Alternate Versions – Nearly all of the paid libraries will offer alternate versions of each track. Whether it’s a different length (15, 30 second), instrumental vs. vocal, or a variant mix, all of the alternate options provide a different feel. There’s been many times when the original version of a track wasn’t working for me, but an alternate version version did. So don’t forget to listen to alternate versions of a song when you’re a little on the fence, because you might be surprised.

Auditioning Music in Your Cuts

Once you’ve honed your searching ability, begin downloading tracks to audition in your video. You should download more tracks than you will eventually need (eg. if you need three tracks, download six options). If you’ve only downloaded the exact number of tracks you need, you’ll have to go straight back to search the music library if one of the options doesn’t work, which slows the creative editing process. We like to audition music near the fine cut stage of a video. If you audition music too early (rough cut), then you may be wasting time on music that won’t get used because your cut can still change dramatically at this point. But if you wait too long to audition music, then you may be more reluctant to make edits to your video that help it work a little better with the tracks. Auditioning music can help you work out the rhythm of the edit at a stage where it’s still relatively easy to make changes, or help solidify the cadence of a montage. And if it turns out that none of your options worked, go back and start searching again. Remember tip #1 – set aside a dedicated period of time, but first give yourself a short break.

Customizing and Tweaking Tracks for your Edits

Once you’ve auditioned your tracks and found the ones that work best, it’s time to tweak and customize. It’s easy to spot those videos in which a track of music was simply dropped in and nothing adjusted. The musical shifts and transitions don’t line up with story or emotion and the track doesn’t conclude, it just fades out. If you want your video to sound and feel really polished, it’s imperative that you spend time customizing your music tracks in these key ways:

1.) Line up musical shifts with story or emotional moments – Most music tracks are dynamic and tell a story on their own, with shifts in tone, rhythm and instrumentation. Try to line up those shifts with moments in your video so that the music enhances your story and doesn’t function only as background music. Usually that means cutting up the track so that the first beat drop or appearance of an instrument lines up with a storytelling moment you’ve crafted. In the example below, the same video edit is shown twice. In the first image the music track is unedited, leaving an opportunity for dynamism on the table. In the second image the music is cut so that a different section of the track lines up with a story point.

2.) End the track instead of fading it out – It’s much easier to simply fade out a music track than to put in the work to maintain its natural ending. But fading it out often leaves the song feeling unfinished, and in turn your story. It’s much better to edit the track in order to utilize the musical ending the artist created. There’s a few ways to go about this, but both require careful listening and lots of finessing. One way is to simply take the end of the track (final 5-10 seconds) and drop it where you need it. You’ll have to finesse it so that the rhythm lines up and it doesn’t sound out of place, but most of the time it’s a simple edit. A short crossfade of 4-8 frames can help smooth out any quirks. The other way to accomplish this is to drop the ending where you need it, then pull the track back much further so that the transition happens earlier in the video edit. Use this approach if your cut-in ending sounds too different from the rest of the track. For example, if the ending has big drums, but the section of music you are transitioning from has no drums, moving the transition point much further back will usually help the two pieces line up better. Bonus tip: make these transitions under other audio such as interview, voice over, or ambients. It’s much easier to hide these cuts when the viewer’s ears are being distracted by other sounds.

3.) Ride levels within the track

Don’t forget to ride the track levels throughout your edit. Don’t drop the track in and move on. Lower the levels during interview or voice over so that they are easily heard, then raise them again during a montage, b-roll scene or purely visual moment. This technique can also add emotional impact. If your music has a great transition point or swell, utilize that to your advantage by placing it strategically and raising the levels at that moment to add emotional power. In the example below, the levels are raised in-between interview audio on the first two arrows, and then raised again on the third arrow as the music hits a high point.

Good Luck – Plus 10% Off Soundstripe

Hopefully this was all helpful for you on your next journey searching for the perfect music for your video. If you’d like 10% off of your subscription for Soundstripe, our current preferred music library, please click here and use coupon code: eidolonfilms

The post Ultimate Guide to Using Stock Music Libraries first appeared on Non-Profit Video Production in Washington DC | Eidolon Films.